Machine for dressing leather.



PATENTED JUNE 16, 1903.

H. G. LAVINGTON.

MACHINE FOR DRESSING LEATHER.

APPLIOATION IIL 10 1902. 30 MODEL. ED FEB 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

1 as Q m .I w-L L L Q III I ll m HWU m 1 m Q g PM m H. .--m a 5!. u

d H .L 2 FL "m: Moan PETERS co, rwmaurna, WASHHAGTQN.

No. 730,931. PATENTED JUNE 16,1903

H. G. LAVINGTON.

MACHINE FOR DRESSING LEATHER.

APPLICATION FILED ran. 10, 1902.

no MODEL. 7 4 sums-sum 2.

we ncn'ms PETERS cu. PHm'auTMQ. wnsumcmu. n. m

PATENTEI) JUNE 16, 1903.

H. c. LAVINGTON. MACHINE FOR DRESSING LEATHER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10- 1902.

H0 MODEL.

4 SHEETS-SHEET a.

nlrllllllrlalll vn I I J YL I llll ll lllll UNITED STATES Patented June16, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

MACHINE FOR DRESSING LEATHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent ama, dated-Tune I6, 1903.Application filed Pebruary 10,.1i902. Serial No. 93,3l 4. (No model-l Toall whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY CHARLES LAV- INGTON, leather-dresser, of 3GBellevue road, New Southgate, in the county of Middlesex, England, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for DressingLeather and the Like, of which the following is a specification.

Thisinvention relates to machines fordressingleather, and especiallychamois-leather skins, though it is or may be applicable for dressinglikematerials to leather. l

The object of the invention is to better and more expeditiously removefrom the leather or material under treatment such parts thereof as arenot required and at the same time to secure a better surface and finishand a more even thickness than heretofore; and my invention consists inthe novel construction of certain parts and in the combinations of thevarious parts to produce machines adapted to dress either one or bothsides of the leather or materials. 7

-A machine for dressing leather madein ac cordance with my invention inone form comprises a rotary drum formed of or coated with materialadapted to grind or abrade and remove the superfluous surface of theleather under treatment. This .drum is hereinafter referred to as thegrounding drum. The said grounding-drum mounted on a suitable shaft andadapted to be rotated, a resilient work-pressing surface adapted topress one surface of the leather undertreatment against thegrounding-dru m, a second rotary grounding-drum mounted on a suitableshaft and adapted to be rotated, a resilient work-pressing surfaceadapted to press the other surface of the leather against the saidsecond grounding-drum, and means for bringing the said pressing-surfacesandgronnding-drums in and out of working position with respect.

to each other, and means for traveling the leather through the machinemechanically or manually constitute the principal parts of a completemachine. I may also arrange a means for keeping the leather in tensionas it passeshthrough themachine and means for spreading-out any creasesin the leather before it comes against the grounding-drum.

I" prefereand it constitutes a feature of my invcntion' to'use a rotarygrounding drum or drums. made of a cork compound, preferably thattechnically known as suberit and which comprises resilient material,such as cork impregnated with emery; but I may employ drums 'of 'wood orother material. They are covered with emery powder or emery cloth'o rpaper or the like material glued or'clippedor otherwise convenientlyattached thereon. f r

' I will now describe my invention with ref- 7 erence to theaccompanying drawings.

Figure l is an elevation of the rear or feed side of the machine. Fig. 2is a section on line a b, Fig. 1,, looking toward the left. Fig. 3 is asectional plan of the machine, the section being taken on the line 0 d,Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a sectional View, on a larger scale, of theresilient rising'and falling work-pressing table, showing thearrangement of the spring-tongues thereof hereinafter described. Fig. 5is a part plan of the same on the same scale as Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is adetail elevation showing therising and falling brush or pressin itsdepressed position on this roller. Fig. 7 is a vertical section, on alarger scale, of the spring'buifcr stops hereinafter described formodifying or softening the impact of the table 18 upon the, drum 7 whenit is raised to bring the leather against same and for regulating theapplication of the pressure between the table and drum. Fig. 8 is asectional front/elevation of one extremity of the perchcarrier, thesection being taken through the right-hand side rail 63 on line e f,Fig. 2. Fig. 9 is asectional viewillustrating the modification of theside guards, rising and falling table, and tension-roller abovementioned. Figs. 10 and 11 are diagrammatic views showing modifiedarrangement of resilient workpressing surfaces.

1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 are suitably-disposed standards or A-frames. 6 is thetop frame of the machine, mounted on said standards.

7 is a'grounding-roller mounted on the shaft 8 and running in bearings 910 11, formed in brackets attached to the top frame 6.

' 12 is a second grounding-drum mounted on the shaft 13 and running inbearings 14: 15, disposed on the frames 2 and 3.

16 and 17 are tie-rods forbracing the frames 1 2 3 4 together.

ing-surface for the second grounding-roller 18 is a rising and fallingtable mounted on arms 19, fixed on the rocking shaft 20 and providedwith a resilient working face composed of strips of metal-snch, forexample, as spring-steel 21 21, (see Figs. 4and 5)forming, as it were, acomb secured to the tableframe at 22.

23 23 are projecting pieces or tongues attached to each of thespring-fingers 21.

24 is an angular rib constituting a stop adapted to engage the tongues23 and to prevent the free ends of the spring-fingers rising too far anddamaging the leather.

25 is a resilient surface constituted by a brush fitted with side piecesor guards 26 26, which extend down beyond the tips of the bristles, soas in the working position'of the;

brush to depress the leather slightly and cause it to conform somewhatto the contour of the grounding-roller 12 before it comes'in con-' tactwith the bristles of the brush and as "it leaves the same in order thatthe bristles may not be unduly disturbed from their normal brush 25 ismounted on 'a frame 29, Figs.2

and 6, having sleeves 3O 3O 31 '31, adapted" to work on the guide-bars28 28.

32 32 are standards adapted to carry" the rocking shaft 33.

The table 18 is adapted to be'raised by the tread le 34, throughthe'connection-rod 35, p'ivotally attached below the table and loweredby the counterweight 42, connectedto'the. rocking shaft 20. The brush 25is lowered into its operative. position on the (lt'lllHlZ-Slmultaneouslywith'the raising of the table 18 against the grounding-drum 7 by the'depression of the treadle 34. 'Thisactuates the connecting-rod 3 5 androcking shaft'20 to lift the table, and the motion of the rocking shaft"20 is transmitted by lever 36, connecting-"rod 37, lever 38, rockingshaft 33, lever 39, and connecting-rod 40 to the brush 25, soas todepress same. the counterweight 42 returnsthe rocking shaft 20, and thuslifts the'brush 25 and lowers the table 18 out of contact with theirrespective grounding-drums and raisesthe needle.

41 is a right and left handed nut for adjusting the length of theconnecting-rod'40.

43 43, Figs. 1 and 7, are brackets attached to the under side of thetable 18 andcarrying adjustable spring-pressed buffers 43 43 in Fig. 1,adapted to strike against stops 44 44, fixed to the frames 2 and 3 whenthe table] is raised by the treadle in such manner as to soften orregulate the impact or application of the table and resilient surfacewhen pressing the leather against the drum 7 when the table is raised bythe treadle. The buffers 43 each comprise (see Fig. 7) a central spindle45, adapted to slide in a hollow bolt 46 and pressed by a spring 47against an inter- On releasing the treadle 34' nal shoulder or stop 48.The pressureof the spring-is adjustable by a screw-plug 49 screwing intothe bolt 46. The hollow bolt 46 has an external thread by which it canbe screwed into the bracket 43 to any desired extent to adjust itsposition with respect to the stop 44.

50 is a nut by which the bolt 46 can be locked in position when thusadjusted.

51, Figs. 1, 2,and 9, is a right and left handed spiral brush mounted ona spindle 51 at the table or feed side of the machine in suitableproximity to the drum 7, the spindle machine, and 55 and-56 are'fastandloose pulleys thereon. Fromthis shaft the-motion is transmittedto theshares-0r the-groundingdrum 7 by means of the pulleys 57 58 and beltpulleys'60 60 and tfelt'GO. "The spiralbrush 51" is likewise driven fromtheshaft '54 by a strap 61, running overthe extremity of the shaft 5,4and over a" pulley 62 on the-"brushspindle 51; respectively, thediameter of the pulley 62 being such that I the brush 51 is driven at asuitable speed to e'ifect the smoothing of the leather.

63 63 are rails. providedat each side of the machine,on the deliveryside thereof,and supportedat'their 0111191 ends on standards 64. Theserails (see Fig. 8) are formedof "T-iron with the two flanges constitutedby the'crosspiece of the T arranged vertically to serve'as upper andlower rails for the-rollers of the perchcarriage, which-'I=wi'll-nowdescribe. This'carriage (see Figs. '2, 3,an'd'8)coin'prises two sidebars 65' 65; eachprovi'ded with upper audzlower rollers 66 66 and 66*66, adapted flanges of theT=rails 63. The side bars'65 65 are bracedtogetherby' tie-rods'67 68. On the tie-rod 681s inou'nted'ajpivoti'n'gframe, upon "which is in turn mounted the'perc-lr-frameproper. I arms 69 69, bent downwardly at their-inner This pivotingframecomprises two ends and'carrying'at these ends'rol'lers 7O 70, adapted torun 11 p overcam-bracketshereinafterdesciibd. These arms-arei'bracedtogether by :a' tie-rod 7 Land by means of 'a' hol- 'low sleeve 72,extending entirely across the perch-carriage, the sleeve72 being mountedupon the tie-rod'68' of this carriage, so as to "beffree' to turnthereon.

' The perch-frame-proper'ismounted on the tornn,respectively,'on'thetrpper and lower pivoting frame described inthe=last para graph in such manner as to follow the pivoting motionsthereof, while being nevertheless free to slide thereon to enable anydesired portion of the leather to bebrought under the grounding-drumsand to allow the skin to be drawn'through the machine' in any desiredposition with respect to said drums. The

perch-frame proper is composed of bent arms 73 73, having hooked forwardends to receive the perch-rod, these being braced about mid-' way oftheir length by a tie-rod 7 f and at their rear ends by a hollow tie rodor sleeve 75,

mounted on the tie-rod 71 of the pivoting upper end of a spring 77, thelower end of these springs being connected, respectively, to downwardextensions 78 78 of the arms 69 69. These springs serve to return thepivoting frame and perch-frame proper to position. when they leave thecam-brackets, about to be described. These cam-brackets 79 79 aresecured to the A-frames land 4, respectively,

' and lie inside and par'allel'to the rails 63 63 at the inner ends ofsame. They are formed at the side facing the perch-carriage with an"upwardly-inclined face and at th'e'side remote therefrom with adownwardly-inclined face,

1 as shown, so that when the perch-carriage is run forward to pass theforward endsof the arms 73 73 to the attendant at the other or feed sideof the machine to enable him to place a fresh perch therein the rollers70 70 in running over the cam-brackets first tilt the pivoting frame andwith it the arms 73 73 up-- ward against the pull of the springs 77 toenable the arm 73, which is opposite the shaft 13 of the roller 12, topass over the said shaft and carry the perch-rod under drum 7 and jhrush51 to the attendant at the feed side of the machine, the table 18 beingof course depressed and the brush 25 raised during this operation.

The operation of this machine is as follows:

The grounding-drums 7 and 12 and spiral brush 51 having been set inrotation in the direction opposed to that in which the leather is drawnthrough the machine, by shifting the driving-belt from the loose pulley56 onto the fast pulley 55 the attendant at the delivery side of themachine runs the empty perchcarriage forward on the rails 63 to pass thearms 73 73 of the perch-frame proper through the machine to theattendantat the feed side to a convenient position to enable him to insert aperch-rod and skin. This attendant inserts a perch-rod with a skinattached thereto into the hooked ends of the arms 73. The perch-carriageis now pushed back or adjusted to bring the forward end of the skin intoproper position at the delivery side of drum 12. The operator at thefeed side then depresses the treadle, thus bringing the table 18 andbrush 25 into working position with respect to their respective drums.The operator at the delivery side then draws the porchcarriage towardhim against the action of the grounding-drum until the skin has beendrawn entirely through the machine. The

' from each other. table adapted-to be operated in the same man- I mayemploy a non-tilting carrier.

treadle is now allowed to rise, and the counterweight returns the tableand brush to their inoperative positions. The perch is removed from thehooked arms 73 and the empty carriage again run forward to enable theattendant at the feed side to insert a fresh perch and skin, and so on.The skin is attached to the perch-rod in the usual manner-that is tosay, the perch-rod is provided with a cord running lengthwise andsecured thereto through holes in the heads of the rod. The

end of the skin is passed between the cord and the perch-rod and thenfolded back on itself and around the rod, so as to prevent its slippingout from between the cord and the perch-rod.

Referring now to Fig. 9, 81 81 are knifeedged side guards secured toframes 82, mounted over the respective ends of the grounding-drums 83,these frames being car- 'ried by any suitable part of the machine-'framing.

The knife-edged side guards 81 extend the entire length of the drum 83and are secured to the frame 82 at each end by means of slots 84: andbolts 85 or in any other suitable manner which will allow their adjacentedges to be adjusted towardor away 86 is a rising and falling ner'as thetable above described or in any other convenient way to hold the leatheragainst the grounding-drum or to release it therefrom. This table 86,however, does not come in contact with the drum and has no resilientworking face, as in the previous construction, but carries atension-roller 87 at the feed side, which when the table 86 is in theraised position holds the leather in contact with the guard 81 and inresilient contact with the surface of the grounding-drum,

contact is due to the absence of any backing under the leather at thepoint of abrasion. 51 is a right and left handed. spiral brush arrangedat the'feed side of the machine, as before, for smoothing out theleather and insuring its being presented with an even surface below thegrounding-drum.

It will be understood that I may employ the arrangement described withreference to Fig. 9 either alone for operating on one face of theleather or in combination with a second grounding-drum and any othersuitable resilient work-pressing surface foroperati'ng on the other faceof the leather. It will also be understood that instead of employing atilting perch-carrier for enabling the perchcarrier arms to be passedthrough the machine to an attendant at the feed side to per mit him toinsert the perch-rod therein, as in the construction hereinbeforedescribed,

case the perch-carrier can be run forward on the rails into suitableproximity to the machine to permit the attendant at the feed In thisside to pass a perch rod with a skin attached thereto between the drumor drums and the work-pressing surfaceor surfacesor device ordevicescodperating therewith where these are away from the drum or drums-anddrop it into the arms of the perch-carrier." I- may also, instead ofemployingwork-pressing su rfaces constitu ted,respectively,bya-springtable, such as 18, and a brush, employ-two such tables 18 18,Fig. 1 1 or two such brushes 25 25, Fig. 10.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters'Patent, is

1. A machine for dressing leather and-the like, comprising thecombination of a rotary grounding-drum having a surface of resilientmaterial impregnated with emery, a resilient work-pressing surfacecooperating therewith,

means for rotating said drum in anopposite like, comprising thecombination of a first direction to the feed ofthe material, and

means for bringing said surface and saidv drum together and aparttopress the material against-said drum or to release the same,substantially as described.

2. A machine for dressing leather and-the like, comprisingthecombination-of a rotary;

grounding-d rum having a surface of resilient material impregnated withemery. and a workpressing surface composed ofa comb-like series ofspring-tongues, cooperating'with said drum, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

3. A machine for dressing leather and the; like, comprisingthecombination of a rotarygroundingdrum having a surface of resilientmaterial impregnated with emery, a--workpressing surface composed of acomb-like series of spring-tongues, cooperating with said drum,.meansfor rotating said drum in an opposite directionto the feed of thematerial, and means for bringing said surface and drum together andapart to press the material against said drum or to release same,substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. A machine for dressing leather and the like, comprising thecombination of a rotary grounding-drum, a work-pressing surface composedof a comb-like series of spring tongues, cooperating with said drum, astop for limiting the vibration of the free ends of said tongues towardsaid drum, and means for bringing said pressing-surface and drumtogether and apart, and means for rotating said drum in an oppositedirection to the feed as and for the against said second drum, means forsimultaneously bringingthe respectivedrums and surfaces together andapart, and means for rotating said drums in an opposite direction to thefeed of the material, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. A machine for dressing leather and the like, comprising thecombination of a rotary grounding-drum having a surface of resilientmaterial impregnated with emery, a resilient work-pressin g surfacecodperating therewith means for bringing said pressing-surface and drumtogether and apart, resilient buffer- ,stops for receiving andregulating the impact of said pressing-surface upon said drum and meansfor rotating said drum in an opposite .direction to the-feed of thematerial, substantially as and for the purposes described.

7.. A machine for dressing leather and the grounding-drum,awork-pressing surface composed of a comb-like series of springtongues,cooperating therewith to press one face of the material against saiddrum, a second rotary grounding-drum, aresilient brushicotiperatingtherewith to press the opposite face of the materialagainst said'second drum,

a-treadle-operated set of'shafts, connecting .Qrods and levers forsimultaneously moving said surface? and brush against their respectivedrums, means for returning said surface and brush away from said drums,and means for rotating said drums in an opposite direction-to the feedof the material, substantially as described.

8. A machine for dressing leather and the :like, comprising thecombination of a rotary grounding-drum, a resilient. surface codperatingtherewith to press the material against said drum, means for bringingsaid surface and drum together and apart to press the material againstthe drum or release same,

means for rotating the said drum in the opposite direction to the feedof the material,

means for supporting the material and drawing it throughthe machine incontact with the grounding-drum,1and means for keeping it in tensionduring said travel, substantially as set forth.

' 9. A machine for dressingleather and the like, comprising thecombination of a rotary grounding-drum,:a resilient surface cooperatingtherewithto press the material against said drum, means for bringingsaid surface and drum together and apart topress the material againstthedrum or release same, means for rotating said drum in an oppositedirecating therewith to press the material against said drum, means forbringing said surface and drum together and apart, to press the materialagainst the drum or to release it, means for rotating said drum in anopposite direction to the feed of the material, a rotary right and lefthanded spiral brush at the feed side of said pressin -surface, means forkeeping the material in tension and means for supporting the materialand drawing it through the machine in contact with the grounding-drum,substantially as and for the purposes described.

11. A machine for dressing leather and the like, comprising thecombination of a. rotary grounding-drum, a resilient surface cooperatingtherewith to press the material thereagainst, means for bringing saidsurface and drum together and apart to press the material against thedrum or to release it, means for rotating said drum in an oppositedirection to the feed of the material,-means for supporting the materialand traveling it through the machine, and for returning it mechanicallythrough the machine to the feed side thereof.

12. In a machine for dressing leather and the 1ike,the combination witha rotary grounding-drum having a surface of resilient materialimpregnated with emery, of means for holding the work in resilientcontact there with, and means for rotating said drum in an oppositedirection to the feed of the material.

13. In a machine for dressing leather and the like,the combination witha rotary grounding-drum having a surface of resilient materialimpregnated with emery, of means for holding the Work in resilientcontact therewith, means for rotating said drum in an opposite directionto the feed of the material, and means for giving said parts a relativemovement to move them toward and from each other to press the materialagainst said drum or to release the same.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

REGINALD EATON ELLIs, THOMAS LAING WHITEHEADr

